Drink-drive Sutton man found hiding in garden after police chase

Liam Norcliffe

A Sutton man was found hiding in a garden after police officers who suspected him of drink driving gave chase.

Karl Fisher, 26, of Searby Road, Sutton, pleaded guilty to drink driving and a separate charge of criminal damage after kicking a door down at his girlfriend’s house.

On Thursday, Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard how Fisher had dropped his girlfriend off in Mansfield on December 12 2015, who told him that she would send him a text message if she needed a lift home.

Fisher said that he did not hear anything for a long period of time and thought that she must have arranged a lift back, so decided to drink two cans of lager. However, Fisher later received a message from his girlfriend asking for a lift.

Prosecuting, Robert Carr, said an officer was on foot patrol at about 2am on December 13 when his attention was drawn to a BMW ‘revving its engine’ at a set of traffic lights.

“The BMW then mounted the pavement and left in speed,” Mr Carr. “The same car was located on Church Side.”

“He (Fisher) ran from the car but officers carried out a search of the area and found him hiding in the garden with the keys in his pocket on Toothill Lane.

“He said he did not see the officer and said that when he saw the police later he panicked and left the car.”

Fisher was arrested and breathalysed and gave a reading of 58 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Days later, on December 17 2015, at about 6.30pm, eye witnesses reported hearing ‘shouting’ from across the road by Fisher and his girlfriend.

“Mr Fisher was using his foot to kick the door and caused it to fall through,” Mr Carr said. “He went inside and there was a lot of shouting.”

It was then said Fisher came out of the house and appeared to start to try to fix the door, as when the police later arrived, it appeared to be intact.

With regards to the drink drive charge, defending, David Verity, said: “He did not think that he would be over the limit.

“He honestly thought she was going to get a lift back but then he got a text.”

On the criminal damage charge, Mr Verity told the court: “He received a message from someone else about his girlfriend and he went to talk to her about it.

“He has apologised and he has shown remorse.

“He used to live in Worksop but he got himself away from the problems in that area.

“He has done well to keep out of trouble and to sort his life out.”

Fisher, who has now lost his job as a car sprayer in Leicester, was fined £120 for the drink driving offence and £80 for the criminal damage offence. He was also ordered to pay a total of £170 in costs and a £20 victim surcharge and was disqualified from driving for 15 months.

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